Chương 43: Bone Dust on the Wind

Two rogue cultivators at the seventh level were dead in an instant. A tremor of shock rippled through everyone present. Zhang Liliang and Zhang Linyi exchanged a glance, each reading stark disbelief in the other's eyes. What kind of technique was that? Could it truly be the legendary soul attack?

"Kill them all!" Zhang Huaijin's sharp cry jolted the dazed Zhang clan cultivators back to their senses. Boom! The blazing sword beam of the Heavenly Fire Sword crashed down against Fang Yuo's Blood Nether Lance. Sparks exploded as waves of scorching energy radiated in all directions. The lance's bloody glow visibly dimmed as it was driven backward. Inside from Zhang Huaijin's body, a surge of spiritual power erupted, activating another spirit artifact.

Hundreds of fine, black threads, each forged from Nether Iron, wove together into a net, inscribed with binding restrictions. Tier 1, Upper Grade spirit artifact: the Profound Sky Net. Once ensnared by it, even a perfection stage Qi Refining Realm cultivator would meet a grim end. Zhang Huaijin had pushed himself to the limit as a Tier 1, Upper Grade artifact forger, forging many spirit artifacts for his own use. Most of the items sold in the clan's Artifact & Talisman Pavilion were standard, mass produced gear.

The true treasures, of course, were all deposited into the clan treasury in exchange for merit points. Under Zhang Huaijin's activation, the Profound Sky Net unleashed a storm of dense black energy threads. The eighth level rogue cultivator barely had time to react before the net's dark lines were upon him. He hastily raised a barrier, a black shield, likely also Tier 1, Upper Grade artifact which formed a dark light screen to protect his body.

At the same time, a large yellow axe appeared in his hand, and a fierce axe blade light exploded outward. He tried to shatter the net's energy attack. But he grossly underestimated the net's resilience. Sparks flew. Countless black threads curved around behind him, sealing off his escape routes. Meanwhile, the Azure Serenity Sword in Zhang Huaijin's palm howled with sword light. Each strike unleashed power that vaguely surpassed that of an ordinary Perfection stage Qi Refining Realm cultivator.

Fang Yuo's expression turned ugly. He stared at Zhang Huaijin with undisguised fear. The Zhang clan actually had someone like this. Someone at the eighth level of Qi Refining Realm unleashing the power of the Perfection Stage... Could this be another Foundation Establishment candidate? This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Fang Yuo struggled desperately to hold on under Zhang Huaijin's assault.

His spiritual energy drained rapidly, his aura weakening. The glow of his Blood Nether Lance faded.

"Blood Nether Nine Kill!" Suddenly, Fang Yuo roared. Nine vicious, dark blood colored lance phantoms materialized from his weapon, tearing through the air. With a resonant hum, they locked onto Zhang Huaijin and shot toward him like vengeful spirits. Zhang Huaijin's expression remained calm. He moved with a dragon's grace and a tiger's stride. A tidal wave of blood qi (vitality) surged from within his body.

Channeling his body cultivation power, his dense, vigorous blood qi condensed in his palm into a meter wide, savage blood red claw. It looked bloody and fearsome, yet radiated the majestic vitality of a blazing sun.

"Blood Demon Claw!" Zhang Huaijin stepped forward, the massive blood claw meeting the attack head on. Boom! Rumble! The two forces collided in a cataclysmic explosion. The ground cracked, and the valley echoed with rolling thunder. Even some of the green apes on the nearby Green Ape Peak were startled, several had already begun rushing toward the scene. Fang Yuo watched in horror as his nine blood lance phantoms visibly shattered under Zhang Huaijin's strike.

"Impossible! You're a body cultivator too?" Fang Yuo's voice cracked with shock and disbelief. More than half his spiritual energy was already gone, and his aura was in chaos. But Zhang Huaijin seemed like a vast, boundless ocean. His blood qi surged, his spiritual power remained abundant, his combat prowess were terrifying. Zhang Huaijin just gave a cold snort, saying nothing. In Zhang Huaijin's eyes, Fang Yuo was already a dead man. By now, the rogue cultivators under Fang Yuo were also starting to crumble.

Though the Zhang family cultivators were individually weaker, they had Zhang Linyi at the eighth level and Zhang Liliang at the seventh. With two late stage Qi Refining Realm cultivators on their side, the enemy couldn't hold out. Within a minute, one rogue cultivator at the fourth level was killed. Over twenty cultivators clashed in the valley. Spiritual energy flashed everywhere, the ground trembled, and the surrounding cliff walls were scarred with cracks from stray energy blasts.

Zhang Huaijin split his attention, single handedly suppressing both Fang Yuo and the other eighth level rogue cultivator. ROAR! Suddenly, Zhang Huaijin opened his mouth wide and unleashed a thunderous, earth shaking Roar. It was a skill from the Blood Demon Bone Tempering Art: the Hundred Demon Roar. Fang Yuo and the eighth level cultivator felt as if an ape were screaming directly into their ears. The unexpected sonic attack ruptured their eardrums, blood trickled from their ears.

The other rogue cultivators fared no better, left stunned and disoriented. Even the Zhang family cultivators, though deliberately avoided by Zhang Huaijin's attack, were still dazed. The power of this skill increased with the variety of spirit beast blood essences absorbed. Lately, Zhang Huaijin had absorbed mostly ape type blood essences, so the roar was distinctly simian. Rip! The stunned eighth level rogue cultivator was immediately enveloped by the Profound Sky Net. Squelch!

The binding arrays within the net activated, trapping his body.

"Darkfire Storm!" The fire attribute power within Zhang Huaijin erupted violently. His strongest skill from the Heavenly Fire Blaze Art manifested. Within a ten meter radius, boundless flames exploded, coalescing into a raging firestorm that tore at everything around it. The searing energy erupted with blinding speed, engulfing Fang Yuo before he could even react. Fang Yuo's spirit quaked. He had no time to respond. Whoosh!

The Azure Serenity Sword streaked through the air like a shooting star, piercing straight through Fang Yuo's chest. A splash of blood stained the air. Fang Yuo's eyes flew wide open. Unbelievable. I actually died at this man's hands… That was his final, fleeting thought. With a flick of his will, Zhang Huaijin redirected the Azure Serenity Sword. It sliced across the neck of the eighth level rogue cultivator. The bloodstain grew darker. In an instant, Zhang Huaijin had killed two men.

The terrifying firestorm raged on, consuming their bodies. Zhang Huaijin had already retrieved both of their storage pouches. Their corpses charred rapidly, turning to ash, then finally to two piles of bone dust. Zhang Huaijin watched the two men ground into dust and scattered to the winds. His expression was utterly calm. His eyes were cold and indifferent as they swept over the remaining enemies. The Azure Serenity Sword flashed as he charged back into the battlefield once more.